The goal of the seminar was to shed light on the situation in Somalia today, especially the civilian population who is effected by lack of health and education facilities, drought, and other factors caused by war. This seminar also focused on enlightening the Somali Diaspora living in Norway.

The seminar was held in an academic manner with Norwegian and Somalian academics giving the lectures. Amongst those academcs were:

• Stig Jarle Hansen who is a researcher on East Africa post-conflict issues and the importance of humanitarian aid in Somalia.
• Adam Comps who is the representantive for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Somalia and Kenya. He talked about the work of Norwegian Refugee Council in Somali and how the Somali Diaspora can take part in this process.
• Dr. Ali Mohamed Salah who is majored in comparison of religions, is also the Imam of Tawfiiq Islamic Centre. Dr. Ali talked about the importance and the rights of women and children in education and health.
• Engineer and Sh. Mustafe Ismail Harun held a lecture on the Islamic perspective on humanitarian aid in Islamic history.
• Ahmed Abdi Mohammed who is the vice chairman of Kafaalo, talked about the work of Kafaalo.
• Mukhtar H. Mahamed who is the chairman of Kafaalo, held the closing words for the seminar.

Amongst the guests were Somalian academics, Somali humanitarian organisations, Somali student organisation, Somali politicians, Somali elders and Somali women organisations.

Amongst the guest organisations were:

• Tawfiiq Islamisk Senter (TIS).
• Somalisk kvinneforening (SK).
• Foreningen for somalisk kvinner og barn (F. KSB).
• Somaliland Women (SW).
• Dialog Forening (DF).
• Somalisk Student Forening (SSF).
• Morokansk Student Forening (MSF).
• Norsom.
• Oslo bystyre.
• Den Somalisk samarbeid senter (DSSS).

Kafaalo hopes to arrange similar seminars in the future.

Kafaalo - 29.11.2008